Exec's interim position as Airey's replacement is made permanent

Bartlett joined the ITV unit at the beginning of April as COO but was made acting managing director four weeks later after Airey's shock exit to head RTL-owned Five.

In the new role, Bartlett will oversee all of ITV's U.K. and international production and distribution businesses, including its most popular shows, "Coronation Street" and "Emmerdale."

He will be expected to boost ITV Global Content's contribution to the shows airing on the main network — a task Airey is widely thought to have considered untenable — as well as increase program and format exports.

ITV COO John Cresswell said the appointment "put the global into ITV Global Content," pointing to Bartlett's international track record.

"To meet the objectives of the Turnaround Plan and deliver 360-degree value to our content properties, we need executives with proven experience of the international market," Cresswell said. (partialdiff)